SWORN TESTIMONY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14144, 20 August 1909, Page 6

SWORN TESTIMONY.

INVERCARGILL AND NO-LICENSE.

[BY TELEGRAM. —PRESS

Wellington, Thursday. A few months back, Mr. Ranking, a Queensland magistrate, visited New Zealand on a tour of investigation into the results of no-license in parts of this country. On returning to Brisbane, Mr. Ranking gave expression to remarks of a character not altogether favourable to the condition of things under the "dry" regime, especially in the South. These adverse criticisms have "brought forth a sworn declaration from William Benjamin Scandrett (of Invercargill), as follows : —"That I was Mayor of the borough of. Invercargill in the year in which nolicense was carried there, and continued Mayor for almost three years afterwards; that in the year following the carrying of no-license in Invercargill, the capital value of property in the borough increased by £139,904 in round figures; although the license fees had been lost to the revenue, the rates levied by tho Council were reduced by three-sixteenths of a penny in the pound, and they have not been raised since ; that since the carrying of no-license in Invercargill, the outward signs of energetic business life are more apparent, many shopkeepers have extended their businesses, and large verandahs have been erected along the business front in the main thoroughfare. In pursuance of instructions from the Municipal Council of Invercargill, the borough inspector, on September 7, 1908 (two years two months after the bars had been closed), reported as follows :— am fully aware of the fact that slanderous statements have been circulated in respect to the present condition of hotels and boardinghouses, as against the time of license, but, after carefully investigating all the facts for and against the changed conditions, I am firmly of the opinion that hotels and boardinghouses at the present time are as good, and in some cases better, than un- ! der former circumstances.' "